Muting device



Sept. 15, 1925. 1,553,872

E. E. MlLLS MUTING- DEVICE Filed Feb. 9, 1925 Patented Sept. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERTIE E. MILLS, 0F OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNO/ T MILLS NOVELTY CGIYIPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MUTING Application filed February To all whom. t may camera:

Be it known that I, Bnn'rin E. MiLLs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Muting Device, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates particularly to means for muting a stringed instrument of the viol class. Such a device is useful, Jlor example, in an electrically operated violin machine, orvin a machine embodying both a piano movement and an instrument of the viol class. The electric playing of the music may be controlled automatically through the medium of a tracker-bar, associated contacts, and an interposed music sheet, in a =.well known manner; or, if desired, the electric operation may be controlled from a keymanual mounted on a suitable console.

Where a music sheet is employed to control the playing of the music, it is usual to 'provide for the contr-ol of expression devices through the medium of the music sheet.

It is usual to provide, in a machine of the character mentioned, tremolo devices associated with the violins, or the like. As an example, such a tremolo device may operate, when desired, to cause an edgewise vibration of the tail piece of a violin. thus causing the tremolo effect in the music. One effeet of the tremolo device is to communicate a certain amount of vibration to the bridge of the instrument. In muting such an instrument, it is desirable to cause a contact member to bear against the bridge. Such a contact member may be thrown to the operative position automatically; and it a suitable construction be employed, the device will operate to mute the instrument in the same manner as a mute clamped on the bridge.

The present invention provides for the electrical application of a muting device in such a manner as to enable the proper muting effect to be obtained and avoid any chattering effect and any variation in the muting effect, such as might arise, in the absence olf suitable precautions, owing to the vibratory movement of the bridge, especially when the tremolo `device is in operation.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which DEVICE.

9, 1925. Serial No. 7,907.

Fig. 1 represents a broken vertical sectional view showing a portion of a piano action in a music machine; Fig. 2, a broken vertical sectional view showing a portion of a violin and showing also the improved muting device which, in the illustration given, is associated both with the piano action and the stringed instrument; and Fig. 3, a broken elevational view showing a modilication of the muting device.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, A designates the piano action of a music machine; B designates a stringed instrument of the viol class provided with a bridge B; and C designates the improved uniting device.

In the mechanism A, the frame to which the piano strings are secured is designated 1, and the piano strings are designated 1a; the hammer is designated 2; the hammer rail, or hammer rest, is designated 3; and an electromagnet for actuating the hammer rail is designated 4, this magnet being provided with a movable core, or plunger, 5, which is connected by means of a link 6 with an arm 7 of a lever which is mountedonla pivot 8 and which carries the hammer rai The magnet 4 may be controlled, for eX- ample, by means of a music sheet provided with expression slots, which sheet is interposed between a tracker-bar and an associated contact member, in a well known manner.

In practice, a series of electromagnets may be employed for moving the hammer rail 3 to any desired position. The closer it is brought to the plane of the strings l, the smaller the amplitude of the movement of the hammer 2 when a note is struck, and therefore, the softer the music.

The magnet 4 may serve to close a circuit which includes conductors 9 and 10 which are connected with contacts 92t and 10a. In the illustration given, the contact 1()a is mounted on a switch arm 11 which is pivotally supported at 12 and is adapted to be raised by means of a spring 13. The link 6 is shown equipped with a stud 14 which serves to depress the switch arm and bring the lower end of the contact screw 10a into engagement with the contact member 9aL when the plunger 5 is drawn into the solenoid of the magnet 4. The circuit comprising the conductors ,9 and 1G may be energized by any suitable means, and may serve as a means for cQntrolling the actuation of the muting device. A source of energy for the circuit is shown conventionally at b.

The device C preferably comprises a curved lever which is supported on a pivot 16; a bridge-engaging contact member 17 carried by the upper end oi' the lever 15; an armature 18 having a stem 18a extending 'freely through a bearing 19. with which the arm 15 is equipped at its; lower end; a coil spring 20 interposed between the bearing 19 and a cotter pin 21 with which the projecting end of the stem 18u is equipped; and a solenoid 22 provided with a ixed magnetic core 22a. The solenoid 22 may be controlled by any electric circuit in any desired manner. In the illustration given, the windings which constitute the solenoid are connected with the conductors 9 and 10, and thus the circuit of the solenoid 22 is controlled by the contacts 9avL and 10?.

The pivot 16 may be supported in any suitable manner, preferably on a stationary support. In the illustration given, it is supported on a stationary arm 23 which carries the alining pins 24: which are disposed above the bridge B', but which do not contact therewith.

The spring 2O is a light, rather delicate, spring. Its purpose is to interpose a resilient connection between the armature 18 and the bridge-contact 17. The armature 18 is shown as a metal disk having applied to its face, which is adjacent the hole 22, a. felt disk The felt disk prevents armature from making a. noise, but does not interfere with the passage of the magnetic lines which actuate the armature.

In Fig. 2, the parts are represented in position corresponding with the closed condition oit' an energized electric circuit, the armature 18 being thus drawn to the pole 22 and the bridge-contact 17 carried into engagement with the bridge B. In this condition, the bridge-contact is yieldingly held in engagement with the bridge through the medium of the carrying lever 15 and the spring 20. Thus, it will be understood that y the lnidge-eontact may partake of the vibratory movements oit the bridge without, in any way, interfering with the muting action. or varying the muting effect.

The lever 15 and attendant parts are so proportioned that when the mag-net 22 is deenergized, the lever will turn on the pivot 16 until a felt stop. 26, carried by the upper end of the lever, engages the arm 23. This carries the bridge-contact away from the bridge, but keeps the armature 18 which is inovably mounted on the lower end of the lever 15 close enough to the pole 22a. to. enable the armature to be attracted when the mag-net is energized.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, 221b designates an eleetromagnet corresponding with the magnet; 22, and 15a designates a lever. equipped with an armature 18h. In this case, the lower arm of the lever 15 comprises a spring 15b, and the armature 18 is rigidly secured to the lower end of said spring. The armature 18b is shown as coinprising a disk oit magnetic material which has a facing 25a ot felt.

'Ihe lever 152L may have its upper end constructed in all respects like the lever 15 and may carry the bridge-contact 17 in the same manner as does the lever 15. The lever and armature carried thereby are so balanced as to hold the bridge-contact normally retracted as has been explained with reference to the construction shown in Fig. 2. Then the magnet 22b is energized, the lever is actuated to carry the bridge-contact against the bridge. In this case, the spring arm 15b serves as the yielding connection which is interposed between the armature and the bridge-contact.

From the description given, it will be nnderstood that the invention provides a simple and effective means ior muting a stringed instrument of the viol class in` such manner. thatJ the muting effect will not be spoiled or marred by the vibratory movement of the bridge which occurs in the playing of the instrument, especially while the tremolo device is acting.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and nol unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as per` missible, in view of the prior art.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination with an instrument of the viol class, a muting device comprising a bridge-contact, an electromagnet, and resilient means interposed between said magnet and bridge-contact and adapted to hold the bridge-contact resiliently in engagement with the bridge in the muting operation.

2. In combination with an instrument of the viol class, a muting device comprising a bridge-contact, a pivotally supported lever device carrying said bridge-contact, and comprising a resilient member, and an electromagnet adapted to actuate said lever device and hold the bridge-contact resiliently in engagement with the bridge of the instrument during the muting action.

3. In combination with an instrument of the viol class, a muting device comprising a bridge-contact, a pivotally mounted lever device carrying said bridge-contact, and carrying a resiliently connected armature, and an electromagnet adapted to attract said armature and through the medium of said lever device to hold Vsaid bridge-contact resiliently in engagement with the bridge of the instrument during the muting action.

4. In combination with an instrument of the viol class, a muting device comprising a bridge-contact, a lever carrying said bridgecontact, a plunger movable With respect to said lever, a spring connection between said plunger and said lever, and an electromagnet adapted to attract said plunger and cause said lever to hold the bridge-contact in yielding engagement against the bridge 10 during the Inuting action.

5. In combination with an instrument of the viol class, a muting device comprising a bridge-contact, a lever having one end equipped With said bridge-contact and having its other end equipped with a bearing, a plunger Working through said bearing and equipped With an armature at one end and a coil spring at the other end, and an electromagnet having a core presented to said armature.

BERTIE E. MILLS. 

